Lower Breck 3-4 Prescot Cables: Match Report

Prescot Cables made hard work of beating lower league Lower Breck in Wednesday night’s quarter final of the Liverpool Senior Cup at the Anfield Sports and Community Centre.

As back-to-back winners of the tournament, there is no doubt that Cables are now considered a major scalp in the competition and this was certainly the case on Wednesday night. Lower Breck, despite being two steps lower than Cables, raised their game and pushed Cables all the way. Indeed, a bumper crowd of 245 were treated to a ‘proper cup tie’ which was played in bitterly cold weather and not for the faint-hearted.

The hosts took the lead on ten minutes. A free kick halfway inside the Cables half was well parried by ‘keeper Ben Barnes, but with his defence static, the rebound was knocked in by Tom Kinsella. A giant killing felt like it was on the cards at this point.

However, this Cables team was full of pace and the excellent pair of Josef Faux (returning to the team for the first time in a year following injury) and Jordan Southworth stretched the Lower Breck defence throughout the first half. It was Southworth who equalised on 26 minutes; Josh Klein-Davies’ powerful shot was only parried by the Lower Breck ‘keeper and Southworth was first on the scene to calmly fire the ball into the roof of the net.

Cables took the lead on 36 minutes when Faux’s cross from the right was headed home by Southworth to get his second goal of the game and gave Cables a well-deserved lead at half time.

The second half saw Lower Breck equalise on 55 minutes. As Ben Barnes came out to clear a ball sent over the top, he clashed with a Lower Breck forward who caught the standing leg of the Cables ‘keeper. With the ball cleared back into open play and Barnes down hurt, home forward Ste Milne was able to fire the ball into an empty net to make the score 2-2.

Cables retook the lead on 66 minutes when some more excellent wing play from Faux. The Australian was able to drive towards the box before having his shot cleared to Jordan Wynne, who was captain for the night on his 100th appearance for the club. Wynne finished with a lovely curled shot low to the ‘keeper’s left to make it 3-2 to Cables. A real Captain’s goal just when it was needed.

The hosts were reduced to 10 men in the 80th minute. Paul Mooney was dismissed for kicking out at Southworth after the Cables man beat the defender to a high ball. However, if Cables thought that their extra man and one goal advantage would allow them to comfortably see the game out, they were in for a shock.

Lower Breck equalised yet again on 83 minutes, Jay Colbeck finishing after Cables failed to clear their lines from a corner.

This would result in a tense last few minutes, with the prospect of a penalty shootout looming at 90 minutes, Cables needed a response and it arrived on 88 minutes. Another good low finish from Wynne finally settled the tie and put Cables through to the semi-finals.

Man of the Match was Josef Faux, who rightly took the plaudits following his return from long term injury, however special mention must also go to Ben Barnes who made a string of fine saves, particularly at 3-3, that kept Cables in the tie.